Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 8, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Excel provides tools that allow you to create a number of shapes that were previously only available through the use of a drawing program. One of these shapes is a line. (Yes, the simple line!) Here's the easiest way to create your line:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2460) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Drawing Lines.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
Adding a text box to a worksheet is easy. Making sure that text box is the exact size of a cell in the worksheet may not ...
Discover MoreTurning off the status bar through the options menu.
Discover MoreWant to "see through" an image you place on a worksheet? You can do so by using the steps in this tip.
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2015-12-10 22:08:49
Dave Onorato
Hint: If you also hold the Shift key as you draw a line, it becomes perfectly vertical, horizontal or diagonal on 45°.
And, it works on any shape. Hold shift while drawing an oval and it becomes a perfect circle, rectangles become squares, etc.
And this works across the MS Office apps, most every version!
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments